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"The extended payment plans are fantastic. A working man can get great gear at a great price and not have to eat peanut butter sandwiches and Ramen noodles to survive." - Customer on March 2, 2018

Ready to start playing drums? Gear up and get rocking with this guide.

Picking out your first drum set can be a daunting task. Should you get an acoustic or electronic kit? What kind of cymbals will you need? What actually comes with the drum kit...and what additional parts will you need? Check out this guide and find out exactly what you need to get rocking.

Beginner Acoustic Drums

When most people think of drums, they think of acoustic drum sets. There are few things as satisfying as rocking out on a full kit. Acoustic kits can come as complete drum sets with all (or most) of the necessary parts, or as "shell kits," which don't include cymbals and hardware. Make sure to take a close look at each kit's "what's included" description to find out exactly what you'll be getting.

Great for young drummers, these junior acoustic drum kits strip down the drum kit to the essentials, making them comfortable for smaller-sized players. Their compact footprint makes them a great choice for fitting into small spaces, or for bedrooms.

If you're going to be doing most of your playing in an apartment or bedroom, an electronic kit might be right for you. In addition to being great learning tools, electric drum kits give you endless sonic possibilities -- you can shift from a stadium-filling rock kit to a jazz combo set at the push of a button, or build a hybrid kit with your choice or organic sounds and futuristic samples. Most electronic kits don't have built-in speakers, so make sure you invest in a good pair of headphones or a drum amplifier. Our Beginner's Gear Guide to Electronic Drums has plenty of great info to help you set up an awesome electronic drum rig!

A basic cymbal setup includes a crash, a pair of hi-hats and a ride, but each player's drum set can be customized with an endless number of cymbal combinations. If you're outfitting an entire kit or rounding out a shell kit, consider picking up a cymbal pack that comes with a collection of tonally-matched cymbals.

Hardware is important for mounting, supporting and striking the drums and cymbals on your new kit. A basic drum set will require a cymbal stand for each cymbal, a snare drum stand, a bass drum pedal and a drum throne. When selecting cymbal stands, make sure to choose the appropriate stand for each type of cymbal.

Whether you decide on an acoustic or electronic kit, make sure to pick up the right accessories to complete the package. It's a good idea to have a few pairs of drumsticks -- we like 5Bs for beginners -- and a drumstick holder to keep them close at hand.

A temporary customer reference number is assigned to each customer only while they are shopping on zZounds.com. If you call our customer service department for assistance, this number makes it easier for us to answer any questions you have about products, services or purchases.

A temporary customer reference number is assigned to each customer only while they are shopping on zZounds.com. If you call our customer service department for assistance, this number makes it easier for us to answer any questions you have about products, services or purchases.

1. zZounds offers the industry‘s most musician-friendly payment plans

zZounds offers a variety of Play as you Pay® installment plans that allow you to get the gear you want today. While our competitors might offer house credit cards that require you to fill out an application and pass a credit check, our payment plans are easy to get, simple to use, and, best of all, accrue zero interest. Unlike those house credit cards that can leave you vulnerable to exorbitant interest charges once the promotional period ends, we never have and never will charge interest when you take advantage of one of the zZounds Play as you Pay® plans.

2. zZounds guarantees the lowest price

Seen it for less somewhere else? Get it for less at zZounds. Simply click the “Seen it for less?” link on any product page and as long as we‘re not losing money, we‘ll beat any legitimate competitor‘s lowest price, usually within two hours. Want our best price even faster? Call us at 844-zZounds (844-996-8637), and we‘ll provide you with a lower price on the phone. Also, if you purchase from us and later find the product for less elsewhere, call or email us within 45 days, and we‘ll refund you the difference.

3. Nobody Beats zZounds‘ Fast & Free Shipping

At zZounds, we know you want your gear fast, and shipped to you free of charge. That‘s why we have absolutely free ground shipping on every single order shipped within the continental United States. This includes heavy and oversized items. No minimum purchase required. No exclusions. We also ship over 90% of our orders with FREE 2-day shipping. We pull it all off with our strategically placed, coast-to-coast warehouses.

4. zZounds makes returns super easy

Buy it, try it, like it, or return it to us for a full refund. It‘s just that simple. If you‘re not in love with what you bought, return it to zZounds within 45 days, and we‘ll promptly arrange for an exchange or a refund. No hassles. No hidden charges. And if a product‘s defective or damaged, call us at 844-zZounds (844-996-8637), and we‘ll email you a prepaid shipping label so you can easily return it to us at zero cost to you.

5. zZounds delivers top-rated customer service

zZounds has received multiple Bizrate® Circle of Excellence Platinum awards, placing us in the top 0.7 percent of Bizrate‘s network of 5,200 retailers. Our success in meeting the needs of our customers -- since 1996, we‘ve satisfied over 1,000,000 people -- is due in large part to the fact that zZounds only hires experienced musicians to answer your calls and emails, and they are never paid a commission.